One of the things you will notice in Role Tailored client is missing the integrated object designer, so you can’t make Control + F2 and instantly know in which page ID you are viewing. One way to display page ID is to use showhelpid parameter.

Start client with showhelpid parameter. “Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.Client.exe –showhelpid”. Then in any page press F1. It will display a information dialog before displaying help.

I personally enjoy working with 2 technologies: Dynamics NAV and Microsoft .NET. Lately I have been more focused in with Dynamics NAV because my current company has their core business based in Dynamics NAV. I also like being related to development but even know I'm speeding each day making less development.

I have a few personal projects that some of them leaded to commercial products and other eventually died in their live cycle.

Today I would like to show another personal project. If you like this project I would only appreciate a comment. If this project should be available has free and open source or has a commercial product with all the benefits that it has (commercial support, SLA, etc).

Project Overview

This is mobile application that is focused in remote Service Management workforce connected to Microsoft Dynamics NAV. In some kind of business companies can have more than 90% of their workforce in the field. So it can be difficult by employees to register spent hours and item used in tasks without having direct connection to Navision. This project isn't built in top Microsoft Dynamics Mobile. The main reason for this decision was that I wanted to use other synchronization technologies and build application from scratch fully understand those technologies

System Architecture

This application has build on top of Microsoft .NET

This application is focused in communications between layers being Service Oriented. This abstraction allows application to integrate with almost every piece of software.

Mobile Application - Is a Windows Mobile application developed in Compact Framework. It's an offline application. Connectivity with server is made through web services. It also possible to redirect those connections to other technologies such as mobile phones SMS to urgent notifications.

Server acts has a middle tier between mobile devices and ERP. Application was build with abstraction in mind. You can connect to Navision or to another ERP's. I only developed a connector for Navision 5.X / 4.X.

Server also has a back office (a simple web page) for motoring messages between server and Dynamics NAV

Final Comments

I only wanted to know if anybody has the time to give a personal opinion. Should this application to become an open source project or a commercial project? This is the question that I have in mind. I personally I'm tend to kill the application since I think it has achieved his purposed and other there are good quality product that does the same.

Navision from a quite long has an option in S&R Setup and P&P Setup called "Exact Cost Reversing Mandatory". These options can explain many times incorrect valuation that I meet in some implementations.

1. Setup

Let's create 2 items (A and B) both have a costing method of average.

Each item will have a distinct Inventory Posting group. Objective is to have distinct Inventory Accounts. Item A will have G/L Account 3211 and Item B will have 3212.

2. Posting

Now let's create 6 purchase Invoices, 3 for each item. I will create 3 invoices separately for each item for only simplicity. Date Format is Portuguese day / month / year

Now, after you have posted all invoices you checked that price is incorrect in invoices of day 02-01-08. Correct price per unit is 15 and not 150.

Let's create 2 credit memos. Now the process will slighter different from both items.

3.1 - In Purchase and Payables Setup check if field "Exact Cost Reversing Mandatory" isn't checked. 3.2 - Create a credit memo for posted invoice of item A in day 02-01-08. You can use copy document feature. Confirm that "Appl.-to Item Entry" is blank. 3.3 - Post Invoice.3.4 - Enabled Exact Cost Reversing Mandatory in P&P Setup. 3.5 Create a credit memo for item B for posted invoice 02-01-08. You can also use copy document feature. Notice that "Appl.-to Item" now has a number. This is item ledger entry number. If you post credit memo without applying an item ledger entry it will give an error. Since we have defined has required in Setup.3.6 Run report "Adjust Cost - Item Entries"

4 . Results

Let's see results.

Now Item A has a unit cost of 58,333 and Item B has a unit cost of 11,667.

Why this huge difference in costing? Both items were purchased at the same price, in same dates and were made credit memos over the same values.

Make visible field "Valued By Average Cost". You will that this purchase return valuation wasn't valuated at average costing.

By applying Appl.-to Item Navision will make a fixed link between item ledger entries, those entries aren't be valuated at average costing. These entries will cancel each others. Even you after apply an item charge to original purchase order. Item cost from purchase return will increase at the same value of purchase entry.

It's still possible to make exact reverse costing without enabling "Exact Cost Reversing Mandatory". This option only inflicts to be required in returns.

When not making purchase return by copy document function, it could be hard to some user's select correct item ledger entry. Microsoft in version 5.0 of Navision has improved quite a lot using "Get Posted Document Lines to Reverse". You can reverse using posted documents lines instead of selecting item ledger entries.